Alchemy 101 - How to turn Lead into Gold Wargames Wise!

Converting very old castings into something useful.

Baggage Elements!

I have purchased a lot of very cheap old unpainted Minifigs off EBay over the last few years. So old in fact that the mounted figures are 1st Generation horses with the rounded domed end bases. Now most gamers would not buy these figures given the choices that exist nowadays but I had already decided that I would replace the horses with newer castings from Irregular so they were discarded into my spares pile as part of Project Lead Mountain. The riders are still in production on top of their 2nd Generation horses so nothing was being wasted. I knew what I was going to do with them. I just needed to find suitable horse holders. 

As part of my Scythian Army purchase I bought a lot of Xyston infantry including some of their Civilians which happened to contain four male youths which were perfected suited to use as stable boys guiding teams of horses. This has allowed me to create four elements of Irr Bge I Horse Herds. I am probably going to sell them on in due course but they will also do for my Scythians until I complete all of their proper baggage elements. I still have lots more of these horses spare so plan to make some more assuming I get more suitable horseholders.

The horses are any old horses that are surplus to requirements and the Xyston castings come from their ANC20049 - Womenfolk, Children & Youths range

Here's the last four elements to complete all eight. Only took me two days to do them this time. I am taking them to my club this weekend and if no ones interested I will be putting them on EBay.

Ancient Bagtastic Elements

15mm Ancient Baggage Elements Completed

I recently put in an order with Baueda for some more baggage models. I needed to finish off some missing elements to ensure I have sufficient elements suitable for a variety of armies. Along with this order I had a look through my already completed elements to see what I have never used and do not really need. More about these further down my posting.

My Attalid Pergamene army was missing some elements. I usually use any suitable models I think fit the bill. Baueda make a huge variety of baggage tents and I treat the label on their packaging as a guide not a rule. I had to add a Single tent and a Double tent to complete my baggage options.

Whilst I was sorting out missing baggage I noticed a new tent from Baueda. Their Arab Palace Tent which replaced the previous version in their range. I have mounted it on a 80mm x 80mm base and painted it with my Arab Muslim armies in mind. It is a very nice model and I am quite pleased with the end result. Somewhere for the Prophet to rest his head?

Next up are some baggage elements that have sat in my Baggage Box unused ever since I painted them. A mate at the club asked me if Project Lead Mountain had anything suitable for him to use for his Sassanid army project. Initially I said no but I then remember that I had these unused elements that are surplus to requirements. So these are now SOLD.

Last up are some elements that will be going on EBay in due course which are unused DBE Mobile Baggage elements.

Scythians - The Commanders

Scythian - Xyston Commanders

My previous entry for the Scythians was on the 1st of May. The large gap is because of my impulse purchase of the T'ang army that I have recently blogged about. I wont go into much detail about the T'ang except they have all been removed from their bases and put on new bases in preparation for it being completed after the Scythians.

I purchased the Xyston commander castings because I wanted them to match their noble cavalry. Again they required some cleaning up and careful assembly. In the end I only needed 13 castings but it has taken what seems like weeks to finish them. I am very pleased with the end result.

There are three Irr Cv S elements and two Irr LH F command elements elements.

I used the following Xyston packs to create the elements:

ANC20065 50mm Wire Spears with Leaf Shaped Points

ANC20191 Severed Heads

ANC20237 Scythian Kings & Nobles

ANC20240 Scythian Bodyguard Cavalry

ANC20243 Scythian Musicians & Standards Mounted

ANC20245 Idanthyrsus Personality Pack

ANC20247 Scythian Cavalry Shields

ANC20248 Scythian Ornate Shields

Scythian King Irr Cv S

Scythian Sub-General Irr Cv S

Scythian Sub-General Irr Cv S

Scythian CinC/King Irr LH F 

Scythian Sub-General Irr LH F

Next on the painting table is the Scythian baggage elements, of which I seem to have purchased sufficient to create about 32 elements of baggage so some of this is going on EBay once its finished.